A-66-YEAR-OLD woman who used a pot to hit her neighbour in the head has been jailed for nine months by the Kabwe Magistrate’s Court for assault after she admitted the charge.

Esther Nkhoma, who appeared before Magistrate Chimuka Mutafela is alleged to have assaulted John Mutesi who bled profusely after sustaining a deep cut on the head on January 4.

Facts before court were that Nkhoma’s grandchild had gone out on a drinking spree with Mutesi’s son Chiyesu on 4th January.

But after obtaining K15 from Chiyesu, she later went out with another man.

Chiyesu got infuriated and followed her to her grandmother’s place where a squabble ensued but in the process Nkhoma hit Mutesi with a pot, causing him serious injury.

In mitigation, Nkhoma said she was a first offender who had hypertension and asked the court to exercise leniency on her.

She further submitted that she was an old widow who was also taking care of her three-year-old grandchild whose mother died while she was detained in police cells for the same offence. Sentencing Nkhoma, Mr. Mutafela said that the nature of offence she committed carried a sentence of five years with hard labour.

Mr. Mutafela said that he had taken Nkhoma’s mitigation into consideration and would exercise leniency especially that she was an old woman who did not deserve a long custodial sentence.

Mr. Mutafela then gave her a nine month simple imprisonment effective from date of sentencing and granted her leave to appeal. A terrified Nkhoma was then moved out of the court room to a holding cell.